Fuel.

So, we have been trying to get Caedmon a new wheelchair stroller for months now and we keep getting denials. Finally, we submitted the need to the program Caedmon is in that proves his insurance and other services. Well, they denied it... based on "medical need"! ARG! Frustrating as it gets! The stroller is thousands of dollars and so we began praying and brainstorming about how we could raise money to get him what he DOES IN FACT NEED. I told my friend I wanted to have a garage sale where I would ask people to donate their stuff for us to sale and all proceeds would go towards his chair. She immediately contacted people about this and got several people to agree. Also, my Mom sent a text out to our family asking them to pray for us in this regard and asked they would pray if they are to donate or give towards this need. PEOPLE! It wasn't one week and she is calling me telling me about money and cards that had come in for us to put towards this need. In awe I stand as I look at the blessings I have. And in awe I stand as I think about the people in Caedmon's life who will sacrifice and drop everything to FIGHT for him... and our family. There absolutely is NO greater gift on this earth than that as his mommy. It is my fuel. And my most favorite thing of all is how ENCOURAGING it is... when we listen to the holy spirit and move in obedience; amazing things happen for Gods glory and for his people. I trust that all understand that however you have been a part in Caedmon's life; HE KNOWS IT. He will always know who is fighting for him. Praying you all be blessed beyond measure for all your acts of kindness, your generosity and your love above all.

Boasting in HIM,

Cha

Found this... God is so faithful!!

Okay-- this was written in Notes on facebook after Caedmon had a couple of seizures that landed us in the hospital in 2008. I found it and began to weep in awe of my God who restores and heals and shows his faithfulness time after time after time. Caedmon has come such a LONG way from this moment in time and I can recall SO many ways God used this particular event to mold our family and I trust, others. Wanted to share, again.... He is ALWAYS near friends. Enjoy.

December 31, 2008

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope
DOES NOT put us to shame, because Gods love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Caedmon had two seizures Saturday night late. We met the doctor at the emergency room due to the number and length of the seizures. We were admitted Sunday morning and stayed through Monday night. Caedmon is fine we've learned that seizures hurt the people around the person seizing more than they hurt them but due to the medication dosage they needed to give Caedmon we had to stay for a long length of time so they could monitor him. Since we've been home we have lowered this new medication to make it more tolerable for Caedmon. He is very drowsy and sometimes gets dizzy. This is a short term medication but we will still be giving two meds for seizures in the future. We will probbaly switch to one that does not have such a negative effect on his mood and personality at a later date. His body should get used to this medicine while he is on it though. There are no real answers for seizures. Why they happen and what can cause them is unknown in our case and in most cases. It is a game to find which med works and what dosage works ...so until then we pray and speak against seizures! We will go see our neorologist in January and decide on a more suitable medication for long term and begin trying to figure out what may be causing these seizures to happen. Also, we will not always end up in the hospital when they happen. Seizures can't take Caedmons smile away and his strength and braveness is unbelievable! We were so proud of how he acted to everything while at the hospital. I will not keep you much longer but I will say this... in our life group we have been talking about suffering and while in the ER Jeff says to me, "Getting through suffering is easier said than done but in all things God remains in control and continues to care about his children" ... this is what we believe and will teach our kids to believe. God is so good and through everything he watches over us and protects us. His hand is in it all and for that we give him the glory in this time!

untitled.

Okay so I am drawing the BIGGEST blank ever for what to blog about BUT i have this craving to blog right now so i'll just type. Here we go, might be the most boring blog you've ever read....IF you continue to read it from here:)----no feelings hurt;)

Many of you do not know that I mask a lot, not in a dishonest way but in a desperate need to push my strength forward kinda of way...(seriously, you're still reading?:)..... for reasons that I feel I have to and for recognition that the Lord has given me through grace an undeserved amount of strength for certain (very important) reasons and then for reasons I feel is expected of me and then reasons I feel is what I need to do to mask how i am really feeling due to perspective or what have you. I at 28 am learning a lot about myself in that I feel the need to carry a lot of strength about things that deep down I'm not so strong on because I desire (so much) to be strong. (don't we all?) ... I, along with Marla, am doing a little Beth Moore bible study on Esther. It is SO good. I am going at a rather slow pace but its part of my fuel right now. To do something MORE than what you expect yourself to do.... and/or something more than what others expect you to do (or be) and give that glory to God and allow him to mold you and change you----insert me saying to me:) "you hard headed fool" here--- I am getting a lot out of this study on how to set self aside because so much of the time i can tie things back to ..... what's a good word? FLESHY! Eww. Also learning: Its okay to be a little caught off guard sometimes and its okay to not have ALL the answers to whatever pops up right away. Now, i feel as if i should have a masters degree in this area....(don't ever say you LOVE last minute....life.... out loud) but the main thing is that I am not my own savior (gasp) and if I had ALL the strength for everything this beautiful life has to offer then whose strength am I ultimately relying on?.... I NEED MY CHRIST. I need his love, his mercy and his strength to overflow through me.... without it I am nothing. Just a really white girl with tanned freckles (ha) and a good laugh. So to conclude this random thought... I would say that not everything in life requires me to be strong, its okay to feel overwhelmed and to feel even defeated at times... what's healthy is when I turn that energy to the one that sustains me, the one that fuels me and gives me the hope I need. MY GOD. JESUS CHRIST. I Praise him.

Maybe.

A little peek into my heart.... As you know, we are in the process of a domestic adoption... we are going on about 10 months. This is SO short and for that I have been completely thankful. It has had its challenges but so much good has come of those that I couldn't ask for it to be another way. We received our first bad news today in regards to a child needing a placement. We basically were not chosen by their case worker due to the age of our biological children. For reasons I will not list on here due to confidentiality, this is completely understandable and even a bit expected. However, it makes me sad. When we learn just a little information about children who need a permanent home, something happens in our heart that immediately attaches you to that child. I think a lot of it has to do with the calling our family has to adopt our next child and i think it has to do with the fire that's in our hearts knowing WE were adopted by Christ.

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through our Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:5.

All children deserve a place to call HOME. A family that despite their background and/or disability will love them the same way we've been shown love. To look at the face of a child and see all their troubles and all their heartbreak, scars, damage, lack of...... everything..... is no different than how we come to the feet of Jesus. How about I speak for myself, it's no different than how I come. Damaged, broken, sinful, heartbroken by this world. And it humbles me beyond words. 147 million orphans searching and I just boldly want to ask, how are you helping? Not as a way to expect YOU to help or a way to guilt you into helping but as a suggestion that as you read this, you realize you CAN help. I have no problem, however, saying that I do believe you sure as heck better at least open your heart to the fact that you might be needed in this regard... how? Maybe its financially supporting someone in the process, maybe it's being on your knees for the precious girl in Ethiopia who's family in Tyler Texas is FIGHTING and has been for a long time with everything they have to get her home, maybe its going to a local PRIDE class and seeing what is required of you to foster, maybe it's just being there in full support (i am so grateful for the people in my life that support us everyday), maybe its opening your home to the child the Lord may have for you since the foundations of time... but with this orphan crisis; and knowing you yourself have been adopted into the family of Christ, "maybe" is a great place to start. Allow the Lord to do something that will rock your world in a way you never thought possible. This journey opens your eyes to what life is really about.. gives you yet another perspective into the heart of Christ and makes you realize how much we ALL need a savior!

Where is my HOPE today knowing we are still waiting for our child? IN HIM. Trusting in the truth I know... The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

There are other children our family is hoping to be chosen for AND we know who ultimately chooses and that's our peace. Is it hard? YES! For one who has had their patience meter refined and refined and refined, YES... so hard but so worth it! I know I can trust that truth. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Psalms 102:25

I pray he receives all glory.

Thankful to be His. Thankful to be called,

Cha:)

Family is good.

One of my most favorite things to do each and every year is our annual Spears family reunion. Usually, its just a weekend type thing and very local. However, this year we did something a little different and went further away to camp and for an entire week. It was JUST what my sweet family of four needed. Some time away to focus on each other, focus on all our blessings and spend time with our extended family. For this is one of our favorite things to do:) Vacation found us in Canyon Lake, Texas. The hill country. It was beautiful! It was also 107 degrees most days but a breeze from the valley greeted us most everyday. We swam, played HARD, and swam some more, ate really good.... and a lot, went to Gruene, and ate at Grist Mill! So good!

We opened Sea World up and shut them down one day. It was a blast! We all had such a great time together... the kids had a ball!!! My favorite part of the whole day was my daughter, Cambry. She has such a desire to learn. Such a desire to know and understand what's going on and at 2.5 she usually does, VERY well. And being introduced to lots of new marine life was no challenge. She soaked it all in and could not stop talking about everything she learned and saw. I kind of figured, like last year, her favorite would be "Shampoo" (Shamu) but no, if you ask her about sea world she will tell you about the very last show we saw, the smallest show that was at 8pm.... the sea lion and walrus show. She loved them and she can probably tell you more about them than I can.

She brings me so much joy in watching her eagerness and learning her strong character. The Lord blessed me with such a bright, cheery, active doll. She keeps us on our toes no doubt but she brightens up my days and challenges me to have joy for things that truly matter. Its amazing how much someone so young can teach you. One of my favorite memories of our trip is her heart towards disabled people. She sees them the same as her and has such a heart to love them. God gave her eyes that notice the ones that go unnoticed. And don't say hi to her without saying hi to her brother because she will gently let you know that you "forgot to say hello to my bubba". I pray this never goes away and that her passion gets even stronger for the least of these.

Why therapy?

Insert Caedmon Jeffrey Andreason here.

Caedmon was born on July 29, 2006. I can NOT believe my baby is about to be FIVE!

Here, is Caedmon's story.

We "passed" all our routine checkups each month until the 6Th month checkup when Jeff and I had concerns that Caedmon was not doing the things we felt, as first time parents, that he should be doing physically. For example, he was not holding his head up very well or at least it would be held to one side. He wouldn't grasp items in his hand. He would concentrate on something like he wanted to play with it but never pick it up and shake, rattle or roll:) So, our pediatrician whom we adore suggested we get a MRI of Caedmon's brain as he thought it would be either quirky development (so normal--- this is where you trash your magazines of what your child should be doing at each month) OR something more significant. The MRI results came back and we were referred to a neurologist in Grapevine. While meeting with this doctor and staring at a computer screen of my son's brain; we were told Caedmon had CEREBRAL PALSY. Sounds scary, sounds ill, sounds big and sounds like everything except quirky development. And we were right..... about the last TWO things anyway:)..... We were sad. We were beaten. We were concerned. We were out of control. After a LONG discussion of what cerebral palsy was by our new neurologist and our pediatrician; we were suddenly looking at lives that looked nothing like what we imagined. We were looking down a road that seemed to only shine light on that very second. A road that was dark, cold and unknown.

I need you to know, as it plays a major role in who Caedmon is, that LOTS of family and friends were praying us through this time of change. This NEW season of life. And ONLY by the power of God can I say that Jeff and I truly grabbed hold of the JOY that was before us quickly. We re-routed our thinking. We dwelled not on what might be to come or what life may look like for us in 5, 10, 20 years..or tomorrow. Instead, what was MOST important in our life right then? Caedmon. What does Caedmon need RIGHT NOW? Two things. He needs therapy. Lots of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. But, most importantly he needs a Mommy and Daddy that see him as a perfect gift from God... A God that makes NO mistakes. A God that molds us into his own image. A God that is sovereign over all and sees to the ends of the earth. A God that loves us despite our imperfections. A God that is in FULL control. A God that can USE whomever for HIS GLORY..... And with that, in full tears as I tell my all time favorite story, I'd like for you to meet my son. A boy that I would not take any other way and that I can honestly say has changed Jeff and I from the inside out for so many reasons. When Caedmon smiles; you see the glory of Christ. You see the innocence and you see HOPE. For whom? YOURSELF. Gods chosen one, like you. And my undeserving gift.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. Psalm 139:14

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or can imagine according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

Therapy... not ALL fun and games.

Not all fun and games.... unless it's water week! Wait...Therapy? Hu?....

Who? What? When? Where?

I can answer all those:)

But first; water week! So East Texas Children's Therapy Services has oneweek out of the summer that all sessions are done out doors and involve a lot of water and lots of getting wet! ...no, SOAKED. In fact, if you stay to take pictures on your day you too will get SOAKED! Or if you're the sister who thinks she also gets therapy! Ha! Below are some pictures for your enjoyment of our therapy sessions this afternoon! Lots of JOY to be seen. It's called LIFE:)

and life abundantly in the Andreason household!!

Couldn't wait!

I have to tell you about the building of our forever family... at midnight. There's your disclaimer! Not until about a year ago did Jeff and I take hold of our calling to adopt and adopt NOW. We have had different things arise that made us think about adoption in the past but it was thoughts of "rescue" not thoughts of taking in the orphan as Christ did us... John 14:18. To me, there's a huge difference.

God used several different ways to spark a fire that has ignited our entire family, but the two that stick out the most are our dearest friends the Kuykendalls and a little girl that I will pray for all my life. The Kuykendalls have grown and are continuing to grow their family through adoption. We, a BIG HUGE community, are praying princess Ethi home!! We are ever so fortunate to share life with them and they spoke (speak) so much truth into our lives about adoption at times they didn't realize they were and then in those good, deep talks you have about what really matters in life.... you know what I'm talking about. Then there's the sweet girl, I obviously can't say a whole lot about her but I can tell you that I couldn't get my hands on her fast enough when I learned she was coming up for adoption. The Lord used her in a mighty way! Literally, at 14 months old, this child pushed us into the introduction meeting with adoption through CPS...2 months later we found ourselves completing our classes and after a "not so long" long road of paperwork, inspections and home study, we find ourselves approved to adopt a child who wants to call someone Daddy and Mommy FOREVER. And even more so, we want to call them our child FOREVER. The child that God has destined for us since the foundations of time. EXCITED!

.....ok, Back to sweet girl, i think (thought I am not certain) she has found a forever family. And we are filled with joy for her and absolutely WILL pray for her forever. So, where are we currently? Our homestudy has actually been given to two different case workers in regards to two different children. We are hoping to hear that we were selected for one of them in July. We pray that this journey does not end when we get our first placement. I would love nothing more than to jump right into international paperwork; however in my unexpected life I have learned that what I want to do and what God wants to do through Jeff and I are often two completely different things a lot of the time. I have also learned that Charlsie at the wheel of life is disaster so I find myself at the feet of Jesus pleading for his will, living this life under his grace and mercy and moving forward towards whatever is next.... everyday. It's always something new and it always finds me humbled and in awe of my Savior!

Religion that's pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep onself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Nice to meet you!

I have stated on numerous occasions in the recent past that my life story is looking much different than i ever would've dreamed. And regretfully, ever would've thought... Hi, I'm Charlsie Andreason. Follower of Christ, undeserving wife to Jeff and blessed "Mama" to Caedmon and Cambry. Caedmon is almost 5 and Cambry is 2... going on! We are expecting our third child, I am very excited to announce, through adoption! I check my email for selection updates oh I'd say, every 10 minutes. HA! I don't think I'm going to tell you why our story that's being written is so different from what I would have thought and even imagined 5 years ago... it will come through blogs... it will unfold! It's a story that I don't deserve to be a part of, yet through God's grace; he has chosen to use me in ways I never dreamed... and yet, in ways (i can say now) I would choose every single day. My story, along with my family, is one of HOPE. A story that is unfolding something new every day. A story that puts HOPE as my lifeline, praise God. Thankful for his son, thankful for his spirit......... thankful for this LIFE I live.